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FromToEurope

🇬🇧 Same-country drive · United Kingdom

Driving from Bath to Kingston upon Hull

Essential road trip guide for driving from Bath to Hull, covering the M5, M1, and M62 routes, traffic considerations, and travel tips.

Heads up Headlight deflectors required for continental cars Drive on the left — give yourself a buffer day Fuel sold in litres but priced in pence See all →
Drive time
4h 31m
Distance
385 km
Same day?
Yes, doable
under 8 h
Fuel cost
≈ €49
petrol · diesel ≈ €40
Tolls
Toll-free
no charges en route
EV charging
Unknown
not yet surveyed
Countries
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
1 country
On this page

Route map

How else can you make this trip?

Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.

By car

4h 31m

385 km · €49 fuel

See details ↓
By bike

20h 40m

393 km · Climb 2.100 m

8 km on EV12 North Sea Cycle Route

See details ↓
By bus

No direct service

Our coach data (FlixBus + BlaBlaCar) doesn't list a direct service for this pair. National operators (e.g., National Express in the UK, Eurolines feeders) may still cover it — check their site directly.

What the drive is like

Drafted from the route's computed data on May 1, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.

You depart Bath by climbing out of the Avon valley onto the M4, quickly transitioning north onto the M5 to bypass the congested Bristol orbital. The ride through the Midlands is a study in motorway logistics, as you switch from the M5 to the M42 and eventually pick up the M1 northbound. Expect heavy flow around Birmingham, where lane discipline becomes critical; stay alert for variable speed limits that often drop during peak traffic to manage volume. As you transition onto the M18 and finally the M62, the landscape shifts from the rolling green hills of the Midlands to the flatter, expansive agricultural plains of Yorkshire. Crossing into the East Riding of Yorkshire, the character of the road changes as the M62 cuts across the spine of the country toward the North Sea. The final stretch into Kingston upon Hull requires caution, as the M62 transitions into the A63, which carries you directly toward the Humber Estuary. Keep an eye on your speedometer here, as the transition from motorway speeds to the dual-carriageway urban approach is abrupt. If you are arriving during the late afternoon, the low sun hitting the Humber Bridge can cause significant glare, making it difficult to spot turning traffic near the city boundary. Since this is an entirely domestic drive, you will face no border crossings or vignette requirements, but fuel prices fluctuate significantly between motorway service areas and local petrol stations; fuel up before hitting the major junctions if you want to avoid the service-station premium. While the UK speed limit is standard, remember that the M62 is susceptible to high winds coming off the coast, which can cause speed restrictions for high-sided vehicles. Ensure your mirrors are adjusted for the frequent lane changes necessitated by heavy freight traffic on this major northern artery.

Route highlights

  • M5 to M42 transition at Bromsgrove
  • M18 corridor through South Yorkshire
  • The A63 approach to the Humber Estuary
  • Views of the Humber Bridge

Trip plan

How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.

Easy one-day drive

Comfortable as a single day for one driver. Leave after breakfast, arrive with time to settle in.

Distance:
385 km
Duration:
4h 31m (free-flow, no traffic)

Where to stop

Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.

  1. Tewkesbury 🇬🇧 gb

    ≈96 km

    ≈ 4.6 km detour from the main route

  2. Polesworth 🇬🇧 gb

    ≈193 km

    ≈ 1.9 km detour from the main route

  3. Wales 🇬🇧 gb

    ≈289 km

    ≈ 1 km detour from the main route

Must-know before you go

The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.

Borders & documents

EU drivers don't need an International Driving Permit

Tip

A common piece of post-Brexit confusion: EU and UK driving licences are still mutually recognised for short visits. You don't need an IDP for a holiday or business trip. You also no longer need a Green Card — the UK rejoined the unified motor-insurance system in 2021. Bring your registration document and insurance certificate.

What your car must carry

Headlight deflectors required for continental cars

Must know

Continental left-hand-drive headlight beams cut up-and-right — point them straight at oncoming British traffic at night. €15 stick-on deflectors in the right pattern fix this. Many newer cars have a software "tourist mode" in the headlight menu instead. Without one, you'll dazzle every car you pass after dark and risk an MOT-style stop.

Driving rules & habits

Drive on the left — give yourself a buffer day

Must know

Switching sides isn't the danger people imagine for the first hour — it's the moment you're tired in week 2 and pull into a quiet petrol station. Park, then think. Roundabouts go clockwise; entering one feels backwards. The first 30 minutes after the ferry/Eurotunnel are the highest-risk: take a coffee at a service area before joining the M20.

Fuel stations

Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump

Tip

Major brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.

Money & connectivity

Fuel sold in litres but priced in pence

Useful

Pumps quote pence per litre (e.g., 145.9p). Multiply by 100 then divide by 100 to get £/L. Card payments at the pump are universal. Most stations are pay-after-fill — you fuel first, then walk inside. Contactless on a foreign card works almost everywhere; American Express is sometimes refused at smaller stations.

Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.

Main roads

The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.

  • M5 —
    104 km
  • M1 —
    68 km
  • M42 —
    64 km
  • M18 —
    45 km
  • M62 —
    36 km
  • A42 —
    22 km
  • A4 Bath Road
    7 km
  • A63 Clive Sullivan Way
    7 km
  • M4 —
    4 km
  • A36 Lower Bristol Road
    3 km
  • A4174 —
    3 km

Route character

How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.

Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.

Motorway
99%
Secondary
0%
Other / rural
1%

Drive difficulty

At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?

Overall

Easy

Straightforward drive. One driver, one day, little to worry about beyond fuel and a toilet stop.

  • No major complicating factors — motorway-heavy, single country, comfortable length.

Fuel & tolls

Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.

Petrol (RON 95)

≈ €49

28.9 L × €1.68 / L · 7.5 L/100 km

Diesel

≈ €40

23.1 L × €1.72 / L · 6 L/100 km

Electric (DC fast)

≈ €57

67 kWh × €0.85 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km

Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.

Prices last refreshed 2026-04-01.

Weather by month

Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.

🇬🇧 Bath

Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
7°
2°
9°
4°
11°
4°
13°
5°
17°
8°
20°
12°
21°
13°
21°
13°
18°
11°
15°
9°
11°
6°
9°
5°
98mm 86mm 89mm 73mm 73mm 49mm 92mm 61mm 119mm 99mm 102mm 124mm

hot mild cold

🇬🇧 Kingston upon Hull

Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
7°
2°
9°
4°
11°
4°
13°
5°
17°
9°
20°
12°
21°
13°
21°
13°
19°
11°
15°
8°
10°
5°
9°
5°
67mm 50mm 58mm 65mm 54mm 52mm 96mm 55mm 77mm 99mm 84mm 88mm

hot mild cold

Next 5 days at Kingston upon Hull

Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.

  • Tue 12

    🌧️

    12° / 7°

    18.7mm

  • Wed 13

    🌧️

    10° / 5°

    55.3mm

  • Thu 14

    🌧️

    11° / 4°

    50.2mm

  • Fri 15

    🌧️

    11° / 6°

    2.1mm

  • Sat 16

    🌧️

    11° / 4°

    3mm

Forecast: MET Norway

Directions

Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.

Show all 37 manoeuvres
  1. Byron Road 0.1 km
  2. Lower Bristol Road (A36)
  3. Lower Bristol Road (A36) 3 km
  4. Bristol Road (A4)
  5. Bath Road (A4) 4 km
  6. Keynsham By-Pass (A4)
  7. Keynsham By-Pass (A4) 3 km
  8. (A4174) 0.2 km
  9. (A4174) 3 km
  10. (A4174) 1 km
  11. (A4174) 0.9 km
  12. (A4174)
  13. (A4174)
  14. (A4174) 0.3 km
  15. (A4174)
  16. (A4174)
  17. (A4174)
  18. (A4174)
  19. (M32) 0.2 km
  20. (M32) 0.8 km
  21. (M4) 4 km
  22. (M5) 104 km
  23. (M42) 19 km
  24. (M42) 1 km
  25. (M42) 22 km
  26. (M42) 23 km
  27. (A42) 22 km
  28. (M1) 68 km
  29. (M18) 43 km
  30. (M18) 2 km
  31. (M62) 36 km
  32. Clive Sullivan Way (A63) 7 km
  33. Clive Sullivan Way
  34. Clive Sullivan Way (A63) 2 km
  35. — 0.8 km
  36. Castle Street (A63) 0.2 km
  37. Guildhall Road

Cycling from Bath to Kingston upon Hull

Touring-pace bicycle route generated by BRouter, with elevation gain and matched against the EuroVelo cycle network.

Distance
393 km
vs 385 km driving
Riding time
20h 40m
Touring pace; experienced riders cut this 20–30%.
Total climb
↑ 2.100 m

Routed on the BRouter trekking profile — balanced for paved leisure tourers; gravel and fast-bike profiles produce different lines.

On the EuroVelo network

Sections of this route follow signed EuroVelo cycle routes — well-maintained, signposted, and bike-friendly:

  • EV12 North Sea Cycle Route · 8 km
  • EV2 Capitals Route · 3 km

Total: 11,0 km on EuroVelo (3% of the route).

Show route on map

Frequently asked

Do I need a vignette or toll pass for this route?

No, this route is entirely within the United Kingdom, and there are no road tolls or vignettes to purchase.

What is the best time to avoid traffic on the M42 and M1?

The M42 near Birmingham and the M1 are notorious for peak-hour congestion; try to schedule your drive during mid-morning or mid-afternoon to avoid the morning and evening rush.

Are there any specific hazards to watch for near Hull?

The A63 approach into Hull can get busy; watch for high crosswinds as you approach the Humber Estuary and adjust your speed accordingly.

How this page is built

Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, BRouter for the bicycle route, EuroVelo GPX (ODbL) by the European Cyclists' Federation for the cycle-network overlay, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Keep exploring

More routes to Kingston upon Hull